Rebecca Gregg, 73, who has been a counselor and photography teacher at Sierra College for 48 years, looks over photographs taken by student Courtney McArthur, who is putting together her final portfolio. Gregg is retiring at the end of the semester. Randy Penchrpench@sacbee.com

Rebecca Gregg, 73, who has been a counselor and photography teacher at Sierra College for 48 years, looks over photographs taken by student Courtney McArthur, who is putting together her final portfolio. Gregg is retiring at the end of the semester. Randy Penchrpench@sacbee.com

Almost 750,000 California seniors still working after age 65

By Phillip Reese - preese@sacbee.com

June 22, 2016 04:31 PM

Retirement isn't coming easy for California baby boomers.

More than 740,000 California residents between ages 65 and 74 are employed or looking for work, roughly double the number from 15 years ago, according to a Sacramento Bee review of the latest census data.

Much of that growth reflects a swell of baby boomers entering retirement age. But the proportion of California seniors between ages 65 and 74 still working or looking for work also has risen, going from 20 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in 2014.

Californians are working longer for a number of reasons. Some do not have enough money to retire or are among a growing number of seniors living in poverty. Others are waiting to collect their full allotment of Social Security payments as the federal retirement age gradually rises from 65 to 67. Many are simply in good health and want to keep working as life spans increase.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

California's working seniors are more likely to work as college professors, CEOs and doctors than younger workers, census figures show. Seniors are less likely to work in jobs that require significant manual labor or to work in entry-level, part-time jobs.

Seniors living in the Bay Area and Los Angeles metro area are the most likely to work past 65. The Sacramento region and the rest of the Central Valley have relatively low rates of seniors working beyond age 65.